Master of Science in Counseling and Development (Professional School Counseling)
The master's degree in Counseling and Development prepares students for a career in counseling. Students may choose a focal area of interest in either Clinical Mental Health Counseling (designed to meet educational requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensure) or School Counseling (designed to meet educational requirements of the State Board for Educator Certification and LPC). With these credentials, many graduates serve as mental health or career counselors in agencies, private practice, colleges/universities, or government settings.
The M.S. in Counseling and Development is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Critically consume research literature.
- Demonstrate ethical and social responsibility.
- Demonstrate multicultural competence.
- Engage in crisis and conflict resolution.
- Apply counseling and development knowledge to professional practice.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
61 semester credit hours (SCH), in either of the focal areas of interest:
- Professional School Counseling: Designed to meet the School Counselor educational requirements of the State Board for Educator Certification.
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Designed to meet the educational requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).
Special Requirements
No grade below B is accepted towards any graduate degree in the Department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling (HDFSC). If more than one grade below B is earned while enrolled in any HDFSC graduate program, the student will be dismissed from the program and ineligible to apply for admission to another HDFSC program for a period of six years.
Additional information about specific program requirements can be found in the Counseling and Development Student Handbook.
Final Examination
In addition to the completion of a professional portfolio, students must complete a final examination consisting of an oral defense of this document. The student's advisory committee determines the outcome of the exam. The advisory committee should consist of three Counseling and Development faculty members, all of whom must hold Graduate Faculty status.
Emphasis in Professional School Counseling
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Counseling Core | ||
| 12 SCH to be completed within the first 21 SCH of coursework. | ||
| COUN 5303 | Professional Orientation and Ethics in Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5313 | Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 |
| COUN 5353 | Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning for Counselors | 3 |
| COUN 5443 | Multicultural Counseling | 3 |
| Additional Counseling Core | ||
| HDFS 5003 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| COUN 5173 | Abnormal Behavior: Crisis Impacts and Treatments | 3 |
| COUN 5323 | Psychological Appraisal of the Individual | 3 |
| COUN 5453 | Counseling for Career Development | 3 |
| HDFS 5931 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| School Counseling Specialty | ||
| COUN 5033 | Foundations of School Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5043 | Critical Issues in School Counseling | 3 |
| COUN 5053 | Applied Skills in School Counseling | 3 |
| Research | ||
| HDFS 5693 | Research Methods in Family Sciences | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| One course in couples, marriage, or families (consult with your Advisor - required for LPC track) | 3 | |
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| Counseling an Aging Population | ||
| Addiction Counseling (required for LPC track) | ||
| Play Therapy | ||
| Advanced Play Therapy: Theories and Applications | ||
| Counseling Children and Adolescents | ||
| Expressive Arts in Counseling | ||
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Ethics, Law, and Practice (required for LPC track) | ||
| Grief and Bereavement | ||
| Clinical Competencies | ||
| COUN 5363 | Prepracticum (required after completion of Counseling Core and prior to completion of 30 hours) | 3 |
| COUN 5373 | Group Counseling Procedures (taken concurrently with Prepracticum) | 3 |
| COUN 5364 | Practicum in Counseling and Development (1 semester) | 4 |
| COUN 5894 | Internship in Counseling (2 semesters) | 8 |
| Total SCHs | 61 | |
